Why Is Sugar Bad for You?

You're probably aware that consuming far too much sugar is harmful to your health. Even so, you're definitely overworking yourself. Sugary drinks, sweets, baked goods, and sweetened dairy are the most common sources of added sugar.

Even savoury foods like bread, tomato sauce, and protein bars, on the other hand, can include sugar, making it all too easy to consume too much. Adding to the confusion, added sugars may be listed on nutrition labels as corn syrup, agave nectar, palm sugar, cane juice, or sucrose, among other names. Is sugar harmful to your health? Yes, sugar is sugar, regardless of the name, and consuming too much of it can hurt your classification in a variety of ways. Let's take a look at how sugar can help.

• Brain

Sugar triggers the release of dopamine, a feel-good hormone, in your brain, which explains why you're more inclined to reach for a candy bar at 3 p.m. than an apple or a carrot. Because healthy foods like fruits and vegetables don't allow the brain to release as much dopamine, your brain craves sweets to acquire the same feeling. For your after-dinner ice cream, this offers you that hard-to-control "gotta-have-it" urges.

• Whole mood

A candy or cookie can give you a short burst of energy, often known as a sugar high, by immediately raising your blood sugar levels. As your blood sugar levels decrease as your cells metabolize the sugar, you may feel nervous and worried, resulting in the dreaded "sugar crash." Sugar, on the other hand, continues to alter your mood beyond the 3 p.m. slump if you go for the candy jar too often: Adults who consume a high-sugar diet have been linked to an increased risk of depression in research.

• Teeth 

You undoubtedly rolled your eyes at the time, but your mom was correct: sugar can rot your teeth. Sugar that stays in your mouth once you've eaten anything sweet attracts cavity-causing bacteria.

• Joints

Another way to reject candy if you have joint discomfort is because of this. Eating a lot of candies has been demonstrated to increase joint soreness due to the inflammation they induce in the body. According to a study, sugar intake has also been related to an elevated risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

• Skin

Another negative impact of inflammation is that it might promote skin aging. Excess sugar attaches to proteins in your bloodstream, generating harmful "AGEs" also called advanced glycation end products. These compounds age your skin in the way that their name implies. They have been discovered to harm collagen and elastin, the protein fibers that keep your skin firm and youthful. What is the final outcome? Skin that has become wrinkled and saggy.

• Liver 

A lot of added sugar is likely to contain fructose or high fructose corn syrup. Fructose is metabolized in the liver and, if ingested in large amounts, can cause liver damage. When fructose is broken down in the liver, it gets turned to fat. As a consequence of this, 

1. NAFLD or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is characterized by the accumulation of fat in the liver.
2. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized by a fatty liver, inflammation, and "steatosis," or liver scarring. Scarring eventually shuts off the liver's blood supply. Many of them progress to cirrhosis, necessitating a liver transplant.

• Heart 

When you eat too much sugar, your insulin levels rise, which can create issues with your arteries all throughout your body. It causes their walls to grow inflamed, thicker than usual, and stiffer, putting your heart under stress and eventually destroying it. As a result, cardiac disease, such as heart failure, heart attacks, and strokes, can occur. According to study, sugar consumption may help decrease blood pressure, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, people who consume at least 25% of their total calories from added sugar are twice as likely to die of heart disease as people who consume less than 10% of their total calories from added sugar..

• Pancreas

When you eat, your pancreas generates insulin. Your body responds by pumping out even more insulin if you eat too much glucose and your body doesn't react to insulin adequately. Your pancreas will eventually fail as a result of its overwork, leading blood sugar levels to rise and putting people at risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

• Kidneys

Taking too much sugar can injure your kidneys if you have diabetes. Your kidneys are in charge of cleansing your blood. Once your blood sugar levels reach a level, your kidneys begin to release surplus sugar into your urine. If diabetes is not managed properly, it can affect the kidneys, preventing them from filtering waste from the bloodstream. As a result, kidney failure could occur.

• Bodyweight 

You probably know this, but eating more sugar makes you gain weight. Sugar-sweetened beverage drinkers are found to be heavier and have a higher risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes than those that don't. According to one study, people who raised their sugar intake gained 1.7 pounds in less than two months. Excess sugar can inflame fat cells, causing them to release compounds that contribute to weight gain.

Take Away

A high-sugar diet can be harmful and has been related to cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, among other chronic health issues. Although it's critical to limit apparent sources of sugar, such as desserts and sodas, sugar hidden in sauces, low-fat foods, and manufactured snacks should also be avoided.